My Brother, My Leader
by Ryan Brooklyn
Summary: [Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves][Oneshot][Spoilers!] Will Scarlett's thoughts during the scene when he walks up to the camp and reveals his true identity to Robin.


**A/N: I saw Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves last night and fell in love with Will Scarlett. :-P I don't remember exactly what all the dialogue was in this scene, so it may have some mistakes. If I see the movie again I'll edit with the correct dialogue.**

**Disclaimer: **_I do not own anything Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves related._

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**My Brother, My Leader**

Arrogant. That was the word I would use to describe him. This Robin of Locksley. This Robin Hood. He thought he knew how to lead, but he didn't. He knew nothing. He grew up in a posh household; I'm the one who grew up an outlaw. Then he came in and acted like he was the king of the woods. When he came was when our trouble started. We were living fine. We had to steal to live, but at least our families were safe. Then he came marching in with all of Nottingham at his heels.

John had approached me one day. We sat against a tree and watched as Locksley instructed everyone on how to fight. I admit they were useful skills, but I could have taught these men just as well.

"I think you're jealous, Scarlett," John had said.

I flicked the apple core I had been working on to one side. "Of him?" I scoffed. "I'm about as jealous of him as I am of that bloody Sheriff."

John had just given me a shrewd look and then left to tend to his wife. I then fingered the arrow wound that was still healing in my palm. I gritted my teeth and narrowed my eyes at Locksley. I had sworn then that he would pay for what he did to me and our village.

When the Sheriff of Nottingham mentioned Locksley while I hung upside down in his dungeon, a new swell of hatred rose in me against that precious, perfect Saint Robin. Here I was with some of the other men, strung up like chickens to be slaughtered. All I had wanted was freedom for the people, but Locksley's perfect plan had backfired. I blurted out that I would help the Sheriff; that I would work against Locksley and make sure he ended up dead.

Which is how I got here, walking towards our camp, pain from the wounds the whip had given me across my torso shooting up through my entire body. Still I held myself erect. It was part of the plan to make it a sob story, but I wasn't about to sob. I would not sink to that level.

As soon as John saw me he rushed me and began to pummel me to the ground. I had to struggle to keep the large fool from crushing me. Fortunately Locksley stepped in and convinced John to get off of me. My shirt was now in tatters and the fresh lash wounds were easily seen. Locksley halted when he saw them.

"Why are you here?" he asked.

So I told them what I had rehearsed. That the Sheriff had let me go with a message telling Robin Hood of the plot to kill the men and the boy Wulf for the Maid Marian's wedding present. By this time I was actually curious as to what Locksley would do. Would this rich boy actually try to rescue the doomed men? Or would he flee to protect the ones he could?

"You were to use this information to get close to me and then kill me, isn't that right Will? What are your intentions?"

I struggled to my feet, sneering slightly. "Well that depends on you, Locksley. I've never trusted you, that's no secret. What I wanna know is, are you gonna finish what you started? I want to know if he's gonna turn and run like the spoiled little rich boy I always took him for."

I surprised myself by speaking the truth. But then again, sometimes truth is better than lies in a situation that involves life or death. I watched him carefully. A small flicker of hope rose in my heart. I tried to stifle it, now was not the time to get foolish expectations.

Locksley recognized my antagonism. He stepped close to me. I found it hard to keep his gaze yet I did. When he spoke his voice was soft, kind.

"Did I wrong you in another life, Will Scarlett? Where does this intolerable hatred for me come from?"

I turned my face away, unable to look into his eyes any longer. He wanted to know why I hated him? Very well, he would get his wish. I glanced sidelong at him.

"From knowing that . . ." I turned to look at him fully, "that our father loved you more than me."

His face grew puzzled. "Our father?"

I sneered slightly. "We are brothers, Robin of Locksley. I am the son of the woman who replaced your dead mother for a time."

I enjoyed the look of incredulousness that crossed over his face. Was he that stupid? Had he truly never noticed the resemblance between us?

"It's a lie!" He exclaimed.

I flushed slightly. There was one thing I hated to be called and that was a liar. My words came out hot and incensed.

"It was your anger that drove them apart! It's not a lie! You ruined my life! I have more reason to hate you than anyone." Suddenly my voice softened slightly. "Yet I found myself daring to believe in you. And what I want to know, brother, is will you stay with us and finish what you started?"

My own words shocked me. They had come out so sudden and freely. Had I believed in him? Even in the slightest? I realized that I had. Right before the battle I had felt that maybe, just maybe, he could actually lead us to victory. But when we had lost well . . .

But that word . . . "brother" it had actually sounded right and true on my lips. I had said it without hatred, but with conviction. I now found myself waiting anxiously for his answer. I wondered if he would take offense to my words. I envisioned him at least turning away or telling me that it wasn't my business to know. But instead he said something that surprised me greatly. He looked down at me in wonder.

"I have a brother?" He asked in an awed voice. He suddenly gave a small laugh and pulled me to him in a tight hug. "I have a brother!"

My breath caught abruptly in my throat. He didn't hate me for hating him? For rebelling against him? For almost killing him? He seemed glad to be my relation. At that moment I wondered if I had not been the arrogant one. What if this Robin of Locksley was the good guy and I had been the misguided one? It was a strange revelation for me.

He pulled away and placed his hands on either side my face, clasping it tightly.

"I will make my stand with you," he said, looking intently into my eyes. "Side by side to the death."

My eyes began to mist over. I suddenly didn't care about riches or fame. I knew that I could not turn on my brother now. Not now that he had accepted me. I would follow him to the death. He was my brother and my leader.

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